Effects of the 1918 influenza pandemic mortality experience on subsequent fertility of the native population of Guam

Underwood, J.H.

Between November 7 and December 9, 1918, 638 deaths were recorded within the native population of Guam, over twice the average annual total number of deaths for the preceding three years, or 68 per cent of the total number of deaths (944) recorded for the entire year of 1918. A sample ofrecords for 321 individuals who died during this peak epidemic period and for whom complete linked family records have been compiled was analyzed to study the effects of this mortality on subsequent fertility and population growth patterns.

After the passage of the epidemic through Guam, levels of births prior to the epidemic were surpassed within two years, and previous levels of deaths were surpassed within four years. Total population size exceeded the 1915 level (12, 968) after 1920. Expected effects on fertility levels resulting from the deaths of 93 adults below the age of 50 in this sample were minimized by the subsequent fertility of 24 per cent of surviving spouses. The very low percentage of all influenza-related deaths occurring among infants may have served as a temporary constraint on completed reproductive performance levels of surviving adults. Given prevailing cultural and demographic patterns, consequences of the 1918 influenza epidemic were of minimal import to the microevolution of this native population.

Nesogenes rotensis (Chloanthaceae) is described as new, from the island of Rota, Marianas, extending the distribution of Nesogenes DC. from East Africa, Madagascar and the western Indian Ocean islands and southeastern Polynesia to Micronesia. The recently described family Nesogenaceae is regarded as belonging to the Chloanthaceae, a principally Australian family.

A new indo-west pacific species of the dendronotacean nudibranch Bornella (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) with anguilliform swimming behavior

Scott, J.

A new species of Bornella from the Indo-West Pacific is described. The strictly subtidal, nocturnally active, new species can be differentiated from all other species of Bornella by external morphology and coloration, internal anatomy, and by its peculiar anguilliform swimming behavior.

Molluscs of the Northern Mariana Islands, with special reference to the selectivity of oceanic dispersal barriers

Kay, E.A., G.J. Vermeij & L.G. Eldredge.

The shelled molluscan fauna of the Northern Marianas, a chain of volcanic islands in the tropical western Pacific, consists of at least 300 species. Of these, 18 are unknown from or are very rare in the biologically better known southern Marianas. These northern-restricted species are over-represented among limpets and in the middle to high intertidal zones of the northern Marianas. At least 22 gastropods which are common in the intertidal zone and on reef flats of the southern Marianas are absent in the northern Marianas.

The northern Marianas lie within the presumed source area of the planktonically derived part of the Hawaiian marine fauna. The ocean barrier between the northern Marianas and the Hawaiian chain appears to select against archaeogastropods and against intertidal species but is unselective with respect to adult size and to other aspects of gastropod shell architecture. These findings are consistent with those for other dispersal barriers.

Samples of copepod Crustacea were taken from taro leaf axils, tree holes, crab holes, tin cans, and car tires in conjunction with experiments by collectors on the susceptibility of these species to infection with Coelomomyces fungus, which alternates from copepod to mosquito hosts. To aid collectors and experimenters in identifying copepods from the South Pacific Islands, descriptions and figures are given for each species and subspecies. Included are eleven kinds of cyclopoids: Halicyclops thermophilus, Halicyclops thermophilus spinifer, Halicyclops septentrionalis, Bryocyclops fidjiensis, Bryocyclops bogoriensis, Mesocyclops leuckarti, Cryptocyclops bicolor linjanticus, Microcyclops microsetus (new species), Tropocyclops confinis, Ectocyclops phaleratus, and Paracyclops fimbriatus. Nine harpacticoids are described, including Phyllognathopus viguieri, Darcythompsonia inopinata, Tigriopus angulatus, Tisbella pulchella, Schizopera tobae, Nitocra lacustris pacificus (new subspecies), Nitocra pseudospinipes (new species), Elaphoidella taroi, and Elaphoidella grandidieri. Some of these species are widely distributed over the world. Some are transported in plants and water containers carried by humans.

6.Kropp, R.K.
1983.
Three new species of Porcellanidae (Crustacea: Anomura) from the Mariana Islands and a discussion of Borradaile's Petrolisthes lamarckii complex.
Micronesica.
19(1-2):
91-106.
Date Revised/Accepted: 01 December 1983.

Three new species of Porcellanidae (Crustacea: Anomura) from the Mariana Islands and a discussion of Borradaile's Petrolisthes lamarckii complex

Kropp, R.K.

Three new species of intertidal porcellanid crabs are described from the Mariana Islands. These are Petrolisthes mesodactylon, P. miyakei, and P. borradailei. The last species was formerly recognized as a variety of P. lamarckii but is now described as a valid species. A diagnosis of each of the other species considered as varieties of P. lamarckii by Borradaile ( 1898) is provided.

New Calcinus species (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) from Hawaii, with a key to the local species

Haig, J. & P.A. McLaughlin.

Two new species of hermit crabs of the diogenid genus Calcinus are described, bringing to nine the number of species of this genus recorded from the Hawaiian Islands. A key to the local species, based both on morphological characters and on color patterns, is presented.

Habitat and feeding observations on species of Ophiocoma (Ophiocomidae) at Enewetak

Chartock, M.A.

Habitat and feeding differences among seven species of the Genus Ophiocoma (Ophiuroidea: Ophiocomidae) were examined at Enewetak, Marshall Islands. A variety of suspension, deposit, and water surface feeding mechanisms were employed by these species, but dietary differences were not distinguished. The four abundant species, 0. anaglyptica, 0 . erinaceus, 0 . pica, and 0 . scolopendrina, were ecologically separated by habitat (patch type) rather than particle size of food. Three closely related and relatively rare species, belonging to the Brevipes intrageneric group, 0. brevipes, 0. dentata, and 0 . doederleini were not ecologically separated based on food or habitat. It is possible that neither food nor habitat availability were limiting factors for this group, but rather some feature not discovered in this study. Ophiocoma that were primarily bottom feeders had stronger dentition and a lower spine to arm length ratio than suspension feeding species.

Stolephorus pacificus, a new species of tropical anchovy (Engraulidae) from the Western Pacific Ocean

Baldwin, W.J.

A new species of tropical anchovy, Stolephorus pacificus, is described and figured from 44 specimens collected from Guam and Kosrae (Kusaie). Included is a list of the currently recognized species and their known distributions plus comments regarding the separation of this species from other Stolephorus anchovies.

Notes on the biology of the goby Kelloggella cardinalis (Jordan & Seale)

Larson, H.K.

Kelloggella cardinalis is a small scaleless goby which occurs in small tidal pools on raised coralline algal ridges and cut benches on Guam, Mariana Islands. It possesses several rows of tricuspid teeth and feeds upon copepods, am phi pods, marine insects and their larvae as well as filamentous algae. Kelloggella is able to withstand a wide range of salinity and temperature. It also has the ability to leave the water and move over damp substrate to a new location.

We determined the chlorophyll content of didemnid ascidans with symbiotic algae (Prochloron sp.) from tropical marine waters around Palau, Western Caroline Islands. Several sp.ecies contain as much chlorophyll per unit dry weight as many herbaceous crop plants and more than other symbiotic associations such as lichens, green hydra, etc. Their chlorophyll a/b ratios (3- 9) were generally much higher than those of angiosperms (2-4). Where they abound, Prochloron-ascidian symbioses could make a major contribution to the productivity, especially in localized areas of tropical marine waters characterized by low nutrient levels and high irradiance.

17.Fosberg, F.R.
1983.
The first taint of civilization: A history of the Caroline and Marshall Islands in precolonial days by F. X. Hezel, S. J.
Micronesica.
19(1-2):
180-181.
Date Revised/Accepted: 01 December 1983.

A bibliography on culture and mental health in the Pacific islands is presented under nine topics: Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Ethnopsychiatry, Law and Psychiatry, Mental illness, Mental Health Services, Social Change, Suicide, and Violence. A Geographical Index follows the references.